Polish metal legends Behemoth are about to take the world by storm (again) with their upcoming release “I Loved You At Your Darkest.” A band with a fan base that spreads far across the seven seas, Behemoth’s music has captivated, mystified, enticed, and even debauched audiences worldwide for twenty-seven years. With a sound that stands out from others within their genre, this newest release is no exception to the band’s exquisite melodies and skilled musicianship. As a treat to the devout audience that listens to their music with a fervor unlike any before, Behemoth front man Adam “Nergal” Darski had arranged several listening parties to unveil the new material before its official release on October 5th, 2018. With a very successful New York event preceding the Los Angeles date, the turn out for the city of angels stop was expected to be quite large.
Indeed it was, with a line spreading around the building on the famous Sunset Boulevard street. Fans waited with anticipation for several hours prior to the check-in opening, as this was an RSVP-only event. Upon the opening of the doors, Nergal stepped out to greet and chat with eager fans, posing for photographs and signing memorabilia. Despite the sea of black clothes, the venue was vibrant with excitement as, for many, seeing your favorite musician in such a casual setting is infrequent at best. Once it came time to play the album in its fullest, Metal Blade owner Brian Slagel came out to announce the forthcoming release and say a few words about the significance of the endeavor. Nergal followed closely in suit, giving a tremendous speech of gratitude to the audience for their support of his music, and expressing the sentimentality and hard work that went into “I Loved You At Your Darkest.”
“Nergal and his bandmates – Orion (bass) and Inferno (drums) – have channeled that passion into I Loved You At Your Darkest. A crushing salvo of black metal majesty replete with hellish riffs, thundering drum cannonades and soaring liturgical choirs reminiscent of classic horror cinema, the album is also bejeweled with nimble-fingered rock guitar solos on songs like “God=Dog,” “Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica” and “Sabbath Mater.” “I really wanted to redefine ourselves with this record,” Nergal explains. “I Loved You At Your Darkest is a more dynamic record. It’s extreme and radical on one hand, but it’s also more rock-oriented than any other Behemoth record.” Lyrically, I Loved You At Your Darkest revels in the kind of religious provocation that Behemoth do best. “It’s very religion-driven, maybe more than anything we’ve done before,” Nergal offers. “But it’s not just cheap goading. I believe this is some deeper metal language. It’s art.” writes Metal Blade about the newest album.
The fan reception was immensely positive, with memorable orchestral melodies intermingling with heavy riffs. Both clean and heavy vocals pierced the venue, expressing an album that was well worth such a welcoming reception.
Some of the attendees of the event included Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth, Meegs Rascon of Coal Chamber/Gemini Syndrome, Missy Munster of MM Fabrications, Mario Rubio of Thrown Into Exile, Alex Crescioni of DIM7/Stygian Sound, Andrew Knudsen & Leviathan & Spencer Strange of Empyrean Throne, as well as many more.
